Original Research by School Decision on South Side Grade School
South Side Grade School is an early elementary school in Effingham, Illinois, serving grades one and two within Effingham Community Unit School District 40. The school enrolls a relatively small group of students drawn from the school's neighborhood catchment. Enrollment data show a larger population in grade one than grade two.
The student body is predominantly white, with smaller populations of students identifying as Hispanic, multiracial, Asian, and Black. The school's racial composition differs somewhat from the broader state and national average. Data on the percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, the proportion of students receiving special education services, and the number of English learners were not available, so a reader cannot assess economic diversity or support needs from the information provided. Because the school serves only grades one and two, state testing data are not reported—those grades fall below the state testing window. This is common practice in Illinois and does not reflect school performance; it reflects the early elementary grade band.
The school sits on West Douglas Avenue in Effingham, a mixed-use small city of roughly midsize population that serves as Effingham County's seat and a regional commercial and medical hub positioned at the I-57/I-70 crossroads. The city draws workers and shoppers from a region extending as far as thirty to sixty miles away, and the daytime population roughly doubles. Downtown Effingham has a walkable historic district with locally owned shops, restaurants, and the Effingham Performance Center, while commercial life outside downtown concentrates in auto-oriented strips near the interstate interchange.
Effingham's economy is anchored in manufacturing, healthcare, and regional commerce. Major employers include Heartland Dental, a national dental support organization headquartered locally; John Boos and Company, the city's oldest manufacturer of food service products, founded in the nineteenth century; manufacturing at Flex-N-Gate; and the regional HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital. The city is pursuing active workforce housing and industrial expansion, having adopted a Housing and Economic Recovery Plan and approved purchase of property for workforce-housing development.
The school district itself faces an ongoing facilities challenge. In November 2024, voters rejected the district's sales tax referendum for school improvements—the fourth rejection of borrowing attempts since the early 2020s. In 2025, the district moved to issue substantial bonds to build a new kindergarten-through-grade-two building and fund facility work. District officials estimated the property-tax impact at roughly sixty cents per unit of assessed valuation, a modest increase in the levy, though residents collected signatures to force a referendum on the measure. The unmet facilities need and the outcome of the bond question remain live issues that families may want to explore with the school and district, particularly if they are considering a move to the area or have young children approaching enrollment.
Housing in the Effingham area is modestly priced relative to state and national benchmarks. The typical home value is below both the state and national median, making the area comparatively affordable for families. Homeowners should note that property-tax outcomes tied to the district's bond and facility decisions will bear on housing costs going forward.
Academic comparison data were not available; state assessment results are not reported for grade-one and grade-two students. Parents seeking to understand the school's reading and math progress, or how it compares to other early elementary schools in the county, may want to inquire directly with the school or district.
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